A key element in global managers' success is their ability to understand other cultures and communicate effectively with their overseas constituents. But is training alone sufficient to meet the requirements of increasingly complex global interactions?

"Culture hides more than it reveals, and what it hides it does so from its own people".
Edward T. Hall, (anthropologist and author of 'The Silent Language')

Today, multinational companies offer intercultural training for their executives. Typically, these global managers spend 1-2 days covering a myriad of culture-related topics. The focus is on the distinctions between their cultural values and behaviours, and those of their counterparts across the Pacific, the Atlantic, in the Americas, or even in other regions of their own country. 

Although these programmes raise cross-cultural awareness, we need to ask if training alone is sufficient to meet the requirements of increasingly complex global interactions. 

Research on the effectiveness of training reveals that 4-6 weeks after training nearly 80 percent of what was covered in the session is forgotten, unless there is a mechanism to support and facilitate the habituation of the proposed learning.

Creating 'new wiring'

This is similar to the process of learning a new dance or sport, or learning to play a musical instrument. Mastering any of these new skills requires a process of first learning the mechanics of the tool being used, aligning our bodies and brains accordingly, and practicing until the desired new skill becomes second nature. Brain theorists refer to this as creating new wiring.

For global managers to be most effective in intercultural communications, they need to internalise cross-cultural communication skills.  Beyond Intercultural Training I propose that we go beyond creating awareness of intercultural distinctions, to internalising the differences both intellectually and emotionally via intercultural coaching.

This new wiring of cross-cultural communication skills allows the executive to focus their energy on the business at hand, and liberate their mind from the confusion caused by miscommunication due to intercultural differences. 

Perhaps a more effective approach is a phase process that focuses on empowering the executive to gain cross-cultural competence through one-on-one coaching sessions. The executive expands their range of thinking and communicating in order to become aligned with the culture(s) which are important to them. 

New intercultural skills develop with practice over time.

Milton J. Bennett developed a framework for understanding the process of increasing cross-cultural competence. In his Model for Intercultural Sensitivity, Bennett's underlying assumption is that as "one's experience of cultural differences becomes more sophisticated, one's competence in intercultural relations increases. 

At the higher levels of cultural competence the individual has an expanded worldview, is able to look at the world through different eyes, and he/she is able to intentionally change behaviour to communicate more effectively in another culture".

Developing cultural self-awareness in two phases

To achieve higher levels of cultural sensitivity, it is critical that the executive have cultural self-awareness. Unless there is awareness of this cross-cultural exchange by at least one of the parties, the communication is highly susceptible to misunderstanding and the associated tangling of emotions. Higher levels of cultural sensitivity can be achieved through a two-phase process with the aid of a coach.

Phase I

Phase I supports the executive's process of self-awareness as well as his/her understanding of cross-cultural dimensions and the forces that shape cultures, such as: history, environment, political and technological factors. This is a 2-day session that the coach customises for the executive based on an in-person or phone conversation to assess the executive's situation and needs.

Phase II

In Phase II of the engagement coaching begins. In weekly sessions over 4 months or longer, the focus is on facilitating the executive's learning process of building or expanding global communication skills. The coach and the executive explore his/her major intercultural barriers or issues; and the cultural filters, behaviours, thinking and communication styles inherent in the executive's culture, and those of the culture(s) important to the executive's business objectives.

With the coach's support, the executive begins to develop the necessary mental muscle by practicing other manners of presenting information, thinking, etc. The executive begins to internalise these new skills by applying them as needed on-the job.

Over time, the executive learns to communicate so well in the 'silent' language, that cultural differences become nearly imperceptible to their audience. The executive may begin to walk in the other person's cultural shoes. Even better, both parties may partake in the dance of communication beautifully!

Changing 'cultural shoes'

With this specialised coaching and with practice, the global executive can become so culturally competent, that, for example:

• When in Rio, an executive with a linear (or monochronic) working style can feel at ease working in a multi-tasking (or polychronic) working environment, or vice versa.
  
• When in Tokyo, the global manager who usually speaks and presents specific information first (in an inductive style), is able to switch to speaking or presenting the big picture first (in a deductive manner), according to the cultural orientation of his audience. 
  
• While in New York City, the global team member from hierarchical Bogotá, who is conditioned to defer to his supervisor during team presentations, develops confidence and feels comfortable participating and voicing his opinion in global team meetings.
  
• An executive from a relatively individualistic cultural orientation knows the expectations of working in a group-oriented culture, and is able to quickly switch to a different working style.
  
• And a leader who has been conditioned to think with in terms of "one size fits all" (or universalistic) mentality is able to see the perspective of a particularistic culture and successfully lead a global team.

Transformational coaching of any nature happens incrementally over time simply because real learning or new wiring needs to be internalised via practicing or habituation so that it can be retrieved from our brain "just-in-time". 

What to look for in an intercultural coach

Excellent intercultural coaches have attained education and proficiency in the coaching and intercultural fields; they have lived and worked in multicultural business environments, and learn continuously.

As in other forms of coaching, effective intercultural coaching requires certain qualities and fundamental skills of the coach: self-awareness in the personal and cultural dimensions; empathy, lightness, excellent listening and observation skills; the facility to ask powerful questions and an overall competence in the art of coaching.

It is an art because there is no one formula for effective coaching; instead, the coach brings his or her unique personality and experience (or signature presence) to the coaching engagement.

An excellent coach also has the facility to co-create a safe and enriching relationship built on a foundation of mutual trust and respect, so that the executive feels empowered and accountable to reach his/her most important and desired goals.

When the skills are internalised the executive can focus solely on the business.

How intercultural coaching benefits the global manager and company

Minimally, the investment in this two-phase approach will empower the executive to have more confidence in leading and working with people from other cultures. Breakdowns in the flow of team projects caused by miscommunication across cultures will be minimised. Best practices from other cultures will be embraced more quickly; effectiveness of multicultural teams will be enhanced; and the synergy of different approaches will allow the executive to take the organisation to a new level.

April 2006

Liliana Garcia Loeffler is an intercultural and executive coach trained at New York University's certificate programme in Organizational and Executive Coaching. She is a member of the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and the Society for Intercultural Training and Development (SIETAR). She resides in New Jersey and can be contacted at lgloeffler@gmail.com.

This is an abridged version of the article, Intercultural coaching for global managers: Beyond cultural awareness to integration, originally published in Intercultural Management Quarterly, (www.imquarterly.org).

Subject: Intercultural skills, intercultural coaching